This paper presents an on-going work about the design of monitoring human-machine interfaces (HMI) in the domain of distance training course. The objective is to define interactive tools that facilitate the task of the online teacher. The teacher needs to see the path and the contributions of the learners in the Learning Management System (LMS). The hypothesis is that the approach has strong analogies with design of HMI for industrial supervisory control, where human operators perform supervisory and monitoring tasks concerning variables related to a dynamic process. In both cases, HMI plays a key role in the quality of the human-machine system. The paper presents a comparison between both areas (training monitoring and industrial supervisory control): problematics, task modelling, tools design. Perspectives concern a methodological framework for HMI design and evaluation in the context of supervisory control in distance course